The Talk
by M-Theory
Summary: Some feelings and some words are too important to leave them unspoken.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars. The only thing that is mine here is the idea for the plot; everything esle... Well, it's not.**

_There's a note at the end of the story, if you get there, check it out._

_Enjoy!_

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><p>Emily's room. It has been their favorite place for the longest time, they spend most of their time there; doing homework, watching movies, talking or just laying in the bed next to each other. To them it was a safe ground, especially for Paige, she really loved that room, she loved how comfy it was and how welcomed she felt there, she loved Emily's window seat, it was her favorite thing in the room. It was their spot. That room was the place she came in terms with herself, accepting the fact that she was gay. It was also the same place where they first shared their "I love you's", Paige said it first when she assured Emily that she was the only person she had feelings for; and then Emily said it, weeks after Paige did, on a night when her girlfriend convinced her to go after her dreams and try to get into Stanford with her. She loved that room, every memory that took place there and everything what it meant to them.<p>

And that's where they are right now, in Emily's bedroom, once again. Paige was sitting on the window seat, looking through the glass with Emily staring at her, waiting for her to say something. The past seemed so simple, even with -A, the fights and break ups, when they were together it always felt right but now... Paige missed how things used to be, how difficultly easy their relationship was because she knew that at the end of the day, their genuine love was worthy. But after that kissed at school, two days ago, everything else has felt... Phony.

"We need to talk" She heard Emily say for the second time that night.

"I know" Paige replied, she took her gaze off the window to look at her girlfriend.

"Then why do you keep avoiding it?" Emily replied tiredly "I know it's not going to be easy but if we're gonna try to make this work, we need to start being honest and direct with each other".

"I don't think I'm ready" Paige stood up "I don't think _we_ are ready".

"Why?" The dark-haired girl uncomfortably adjusted herself in the bed she was sitting on.

"I'm scared, ok? I don't want any of us to get hurt". Paige looked down and Emily gulped, now worried about how Paige could possibly hurt her. "I'm afraid this will end up like that time on the shcool's bathroom, or the night you said goodbye or the night on your porch when you made it clear we were done".

"Ok, I get it. But, that's exactly why we need to talk. Do you wanna have these awkward moments because we're too afraid to say what we want to say rather than face this and talk about it? This isn't sane. If we don't do this there will be resentments between us. Being together is incredible but we need to this right for both of our sakes".

Paige got annoyed in that moment.

"Ok" She snapped "You wanna talk? Ok, let's talk. Where'd you want to start?" Paige heard her own voice rising with every word leaving her mouth "In the moment you decided you were done with me because Alison was back? Or when you held against me a mistake I made just because I wanted to keep you safe?"

"I didn't leave you because Alison was back!" Emily shot back, in the same harsh tone Paige was using.

"Oh, didn't you? Because that was sure as hell what it felt like, Emily!" She threw her hands in the air. "Ever since the minute you knew Alison was alive our relationship went downhill. You started lying and keeping stuff from me. Admit it, you basically chose her over me". She got her hands down just to rub her temples, apparently to calm herself. "I know I screwed up, telling the police wasn't the best idea I have had, but I swear I wouldn't change my decision, not even if I had the chance".

Suddenly the room got dead quiet "You wouldn't?".

"No" Paige assured "Wanna know why? Because I was right. Alison meant no good and I knew it. I always have, that's why I told, because the only thing I was thinking about in that moment was in how to keep you safe, and you weren't helping at all. You still went and put yourself in danger. You left New York in one piece by work of a freaking miracle, Emily; -A could have killed you that night if it wasn't for Fitz, and he got shot, he's lucky he survived". Paige was breathing heavily after that and Emily looked at her for a minute before shaking her head.

"I knew it would be dangerous going after Alison. But that was the right choice at the moment. She was still our friend; at least we thought she was. We needed to know her part of the story, Alison still is the main piece in this game, I thought that the sooner we got to her, the sooner this would end. I wanted this to be over." Emily took a breath and stood up "I think I know what you must have felt, you were just looking out for me, I think I get that, but that's the thing, even though I know you wanted the best for me, you promised me you would keep it a secret. I just couldn't help but feeling betrayed and lied to. You gave me an ultimatum, and I hated it. I've always hated the thought that you, in any way would want to control my life. My parents did that, Alison and -A did that… I was wishing you were the exception. I thought that you would give me enough credit to trust my decisions. And besides that, it seemed like you were taking this as excuse to getting revenge and I still wonder if that was what happened".

Paige stayed quiet for a few seconds and then shrugged.

"I really don't think I did it for revenge…. But I don't know. I d-don't think I did .Maybe I was scared; I was scared of what her return would do to us. I don't know" She massaged her temples "I do not regret my decision, Emily, but I truly am sorry it hurt you". Paige sat on the end of Emily's bed, right where the other girl was sitting moments ago.

"I know you are" Emily said, her voice more soft now.

"Do you have any idea of how did it feel to see you choose Alison over me? How much it hurt me to see you walk away from me because of her?" At this point Paige's voice was weary.

To say Emily felt guilty was the least, she felt horrible, her chest was getting heavier by the minute, and her heart was racing, she licked her lips and and tried to swallow the huge knot in her throat before opening her mouth.

"You didn't deserve to go through all of that and I'm sorry" Hating herself, she continued "Paige… There's something else we need to talk about" She unfolded her arms and moved closer to the bed where her girlfriend was sitting, who looked up to her, expecting her to keep talking . Emily closed her eyes and looked down before opening them again, she couldn't see Paige's in the eyes anymore "When were apart… Alison and I… We kissed"

"Wh-what?" Paige eyes started watering, but she tried to fight the tear blinking forcedly.

"I'm so sorry, I did-"

"You kissed her?" Paige voice sounded so broken it made her hear hurt like it was burning.

Unable to find her voice, Emily nodded, feeling her own tears going down her face.

"I'm sorry, I really am… After I did I felt awful" Emily sniffed "I don't know why I did it. I guess I wanted to know how I felt about Alison, seeing her again after everything that happened was so confusing. I never had a closure so maybe it brought back old feelings".

Paige dried her tears with the back of her hand; she stood up and moved away from Emily "Will I ever be good enough for you?" She asked bitterly and the weight in Emily chest increased.

"What are you talking about? Don't say that, please" Emily tried to take the other girl's hand, but it was pulled away quickly "I'm sorry, Paige, I love you. Don't you ever say you're not good enough for me, because you're the best thing that has happened to me" Neither of them said anything for a while until Paige turned her head to Emily again.

"Was this why you wanted to talk? So you could come clean after I kissed you?

"I'm sorry, I know it was wrong"

"Could have fooled me"

"It's not like you didn't do the same" Emily took a breath, knowing she had right to be mad "Or are you going to tell me you didn't see anyone while we were apart"

"No, I didn't!"

Emily scoffed "Aria told me about that movie night! The night you were dresses up and you came to the Brew!" To Emily's surprise, Paige shook her.

"Not the same thing"

"You went out with another girl, tell me how's that any different"

"You knew what Alison did to me" Paige said angrily "And you still hooked up with the girl who made my life a living hell. I was trying to forget how much I was hurting, I wanted to move on, to stop think about you. Didn't work."

"Who was she? Are you still seeing her?"

"What? No! Do you seriosuly think that little of me?" Paige said hurtfully "Her name is Lauren. She's a friend. We met months ago, in one of my runs." She explained" We've been running together almost every day since we found out we're both into swmiming, we have had coffee a couple of times before, we talk alot. Once she asked me on a date, I declined because I was with you…But she heard we weren't longer together, so she asked again and I said yes. I told myself that what I did wasn't wrong" Paige continued "Then I saw you at the Brew and…. It felt so wrong, all I wanted to do was to kiss you and shout how much I missed you but…" Paige shook her head "A part of my brain kept telling me that we were done that I needed to move on, that there was nothing left for me to do because you just didn't want to be with anymore, so I left you and drive her home"

Emily gulped, she didn't want to hear this, and she wanted to shut Paige up because she didn't wanna hear what happened next, how Paige took this Lauren girl home and- … She stopped herself. Although the last thing she wanted was to her fears to be confirmed, she _was_ the one who insisted to talk and make a clean start.

"And then…?" Emily asked the other swimmer.

"Nothing happened, Emily" Paige snapped again "I didn't do more than buy the girl a coffee, if that's what you're asking. I walked her home and she tried to kiss me but I stopped her. I didn't kiss her, like you kissed Alison" She spitted

"Why didn't you?"

"I couldn't bring myself to do it. She isn't you." Paige looked right into her eyes.

They stayed in silence for few moments, without braking eye contact, and Emily moved closer to Paige, she took it as a good sign when the other girl didn't moved away.

"I'm sorry, Paige" Emily said honestly, she placed a hand on Paige's cheek, who closed her eyes, letting herself enjoy the touch for a moment "I'm so sorry for everything"

"I'm sorry too" Paige put her hand above Emily's but she oppened her eyes and held a serious expression.

"Do you forgive me?" Emily asked hopefully.

"I do forgive you" Paige took Emily's off her face slowly "But I don't think I could ever trust you again, Emily. I'm sorry" with that Paige walked towards the door, leaving Emily with the same empty sensation that once Emily left her with.

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><p>So, yeah, that's it. I'm sorry it sucked. I'm still new with this writting thing. And I'm sorry for any typos andor grammar mistakes, still working on my English. This was just something I wanted to do because Marlene's not doing it for me, man, I need more Paily screen time with serious conversations. Like, this talk needed or still needs to happen.(But of course we get 234 hours of irrelevant, repetitive and useless escenes of Ezria crying and eating pie, but ok).

Maybe I'll make second chapter to get an actual Paily end? That depends on what you say.

If I get people saying they want a second chapter, I'll do it, soon (;

I would like to know what do you think, even if you hated it.

Thanks for reading.

-Alex.-


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars. The only thing that is mine here is the idea for the plot, everything esle... Well, it's not.**

_There's a note at the end of the story, if you get there, check it out._

_Enjoy._

* * *

><p>Three days. Three days without hearing from her.<p>

Emily stopped the time. Andrea Green: one minute, six seconds.

Three days without hearing from Paige. Not a word. Nothing. She thought things were going well. Paige was coming around, things were going very civil between them, two days after the fight, exactly 2 weeks ago, Paige texted her asking her how she was doing, with everything happening in her life right now, -A being after her and her friends and Spencer going to jail.

She stopped the time again, Marian Black: one minute, three seconds.

The fact that Paige texted her first just to check on her made Emily immensely happy, if she was honest, she thought she'd never heard of Paige again, so having any kind of communication with the girl was a winning. That night didn't end well, in fact that talk ended up in disaster, well, more than a talk was a shouting competition with no winner. But she couldn't actually blame Paige of how that night went, she knew she was responsible of Paige's pain, and to say she felt guilty was an understatement. Gladly, they have been texting each other and exchanging cordial greetings on the hallways, and things were going well until suddenly Paige stopped replying and she acted like she didn't see every time she tried to say hello on the halls, on swim practices. It was driving her crazy.

And she stopped her digital timer again. Jennifer Smith: Fifty seven seconds.

So, seeing her enter the locker room checking in as "present" for today's practice made her heart skip a beat. It wasn't usual that she took the times of the team; let alone run the entire practice on her own, but staring the practice the coach recived an emergency call and she said she needed to leave, but before she could cancel the season, Emily assured her that she was able to do it, she hesitated for a minute, but she caved when Emily asurred her she had it covered. Emily's chest felt heavy when looked up to see the last swimmer.

Her hand shook a little when she stopped the watch: Paige McCullers: Fifty one seconds.

She wrote down the time as the girls of team gathered around her, knowing Paige was the last; they just needed Emily to say the words and they could leave.

"Ok, guys! Good work today! "Emily called up the team" But keep it up! I wanna see shorter times. I may not be coach but I see only McCullers and Smith shorten their time this month" She checked with the board in her hands "Well done".

Only Jennifer Smith's voice replied"Thank you, Emily" Emily nodded, smiling "McCullers?" Emily asked looking around. All the girls looked at the pool "She's still in... But what's new? She's been staying after practice a lot lately" All the girls kept mumbling in agreement "Ok, I guess her work is paying off. Some of you could use the extra practice too, though; I don't want coach to think I was your rest day" Some of the girls chuckled at this "Get changed, see you all on Monday".

The girls started walking into the locker room, shower or started changing, Emily walked towards the little office while still taking notes in her clipboard. She saw through the little window all the girls leave, but not a sign of Paige. She sighed and kept on writing notes of how the practice went. After a while she noticed someone going into the showers and she stood up, walked to the lockers again and waited. It was all empty and quite, after a while she heard the sound of the shower going off. Minutes went by and she saw Paige coming. She had her jeans, a blue t-shirt and her face covered, drying her hair with a towel.

"Took you long enough" Emily said. Paige jumped at her voice.

"Oh, Emily, hi" Paige said slowly, looking surprised at the other girl's presence "What are you doing here?" Emily was sitting on the bench in front of her locker, with a little smile on her face, part because of how startled the girl seemed.

"Well… I am assistant coach. It's kind of my job." Emily said on a matter of fact tone.

"No, yeah, I know… I just imagined you would be gone by now, that's it" The swimmer took the towel she was drying her hair with and put it on her shoulder, looking around awkwardly.

"Imagined? With that expression in your face, try with "Hoped"" She stood up from the bench as the other girl opened her locker. Paige lowered her face for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"Paige, come on, I'm not stupid… You haven't replied to any of my texts and ignored all of my calls for the past days" She said crossing her arms and resting her weight on the lockers, looking at the other girl "I thought we were getting through this… We were finally starting to go somewhere… What happened? Did I do something wrong?"

"No... Em, you didn't do anything… It just that I needed some time, thta's it" She took her sport bag off her locker.

"Well, you could've told me that instead of straight up avoid me" Emily said calmly "I would have understood. I'll give you all the space you need just, please don't cut me off".

"Emily, it's just that I have been thinking about everything and..-" " Paige finally looked up to face the other girl "That fight is still playing in mind".

"And don't you think it's been affecting me too?".

"I'm not saying that"

"Then what are you saying? You think it's not killing me not being able to talk to you?".

"Oh, is it?"Paige dared.

"Of course it is! It's not easy to see you and know you hate me or to think that we could never have what we had. I miss you so much, Paige. And things happened and everything got so messed up, and I'm so sorry. I'm sorry our relationship is how it is and that I didn't fight hard enough for you… Things are so complicated" Emily voice was tremulous. Paige stared at her with a black expression. She took a breath before talking

"That's exactly the problem" Paige said, putting her towel in the bag and taking her team jacket out of it "It's always complicated, there's always something going on." She put the jacket on, zipping it up slowly "If it's not Mona dying or making our lives as miserable as possible, it's Spencer going to jail, or it's –A hunting you down, or it's someone trying to hurt you or both of us, or its friends hating me…. And if it's not all of that, there's always somebody else, Maya, or Samara or Alison…..I hate feeling that, for you, everything comes first than us...Than me" Emily felt her heart stopping at the girl's toneless voice "I'm just so tired of competing against everything and everybody else, Emily, especially if I seem to lose at the end eveytime".

Emily closed her eyes to prevent her tears from falling, but she felt Paige moving closer to her "You're not competing with anything, ok? You are not competing with anyone… You never have. I'm sorry that it felt that way, I never meant it" she opened her eyes and saw Paige staring at her like it was the first time she looked at her, seriousness showing all over her face " I made a mistake, Paige, I know that but if you let me I'll do anything to try to fix this, no matter how much effort or how long it takes" Paige blinked a noded.

"Good to hear that" Paige said after a few seconds of silence, she looked relaxed somehow but at the same time nervious, the corner of her mouth raising a little "You got a lot fixing to do... "

Emily looked expectant at Paige before looking down blushing, without even trying to fight the smile growing in her face. Her head snapped up again when she felt Paige's hand on her cheek.

"Remember what you said the moment you kissed me by the pool after I told you what happened the night –A drugged you?" Paige asked quietly.

The red on the taller girl's face got darker "Don't look away?"

Paige nodded, smiling "Don't look away, Emily… I did the night we fought and for the past three days and I regret it ".

And with that Emily moved to kiss her. The fireworks didn't appeared, the ground didn't disappeared and the time didn't stop….But damn the love was there, invading their bodies, stronger than either of them has ever felt it, draining the emotions into each other every time their lips moved, feeling the joy and happiness they didn't imagine could be felt. Emily wrapped her arms around Paige's waist, and as the other girl moved her hands to tangle her hair with her fingers while deepen the kiss, she swore she would never let go of Paige as long as she let her.

Ironically enough, said girl was the one to break the kiss to rest her forehead on hers. Emily saw she didn't open her eyes; it was like she was just tasting the moment and ,hell, so was she. That was their position for a long time, not that Emily cared, until a ringtone brought them back into the locker room they were actually in. Emily's smile grew bigger seeing how annoyed the paler girl got when she pulled away.

"Just a second" She said pulling her phone out of her pocket "It's just the coach….. Wanted me to remember to tell the team to join the choir group"

"To do what?"

"Built a spaceship" Emily got her phone again on her pocket, smirking "The Christmas presentation, what did you think?"

"Hey, there's no reason to get sassy" Paige said rising an eyebrow, smiling nevertheless "Are you singing?"

"I don't know" Emily bite her lower lip, for half a second "I mean I have to, I'm a on the choir but I guess I'm nervous"

"You shouldn't be, you've sang in public before" She shrugged.

"Yeah, with you" Emily replied timidly

"Well…. What if I sing with you? Would that help?" Paige smiled at her.

"Will you?" Emily asked hopefully, looking shocked at Paige's offer "Really?"

"Well, if it helps …."

"It will… A lot!" Emily shrouded her arms around Paige neck and kissed her softly. Boy, did she miss that feeling. "Thank you, it will help me it to have you there holding my hand" She whispered on the other swimmer's lips.

"It's not that easy, though" Paige said and Emily gave her a curious look.

"I'll only hold your hand if I do it as your girlfriend… For good this time".

Emily laughed "You're an idiot" she kissed her again.

"And you're rude" Paige laughed too.

"Let's go, it's getting late"

"Yeah" Paige closed her bag and Emily the door of the office, Emily took her hand and they walked out of the school to parking lot.

"I walked this morning" Emily said.

"Good thing I got my car today" Paige replied shaking her keys in her pocket "I'll drive you".

Emily smiled as Paige held open the passenger door, but halfway the car Paige stopped her.

"What?" Emily asked confused

"Just to be sure" Paige said seriously" You said yes, right?"

"To what?" Emily frowned

"Me holding your hand as your girlfriend" Paige said as it was obvious. And Emily shook her head her occurrences.

"Yes" She said stepping out completely and copping her now, really, without a doubt, girlfriend's face "I love you, Paige"

"I love you too, Emily" Emily smiled and kissed her again.

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><p>Well, yeah, that's it... I don't know how to fell about this.<p>

Firts off, I know I said soon, I'm sorry I took so long with this, I swear I started writing this as soon I saw I was getting feedback, but I seriously got so stuck, I was blocked as fuck... Didn't know what to with it and didn't know how it was gonna end. I had like 4 different endings and plots for this but I though we have suffered enough on the show to have you guys suffering this fic too. I'm sorry if it sucks.

My first thought for this story was it to fit in the storyline of the show, that's why you see Emily being the assistant coach and the story taking place between 5x12 and 5x13,(Emily and Paige holding hands while singing with the choir) that have a month gap.

I want to thank eveyone who sent a review with the first chapter, thank you SO much. You have no idea what it meant to me. YOU ARE THE BEST. THANK YOU.

By the way is exactly 6:03 in the morning and I'm just finishing this, just for you all... So... Yeah, love for you all.

I'm also sorry for any mistakes or typos or shitty gramma or shitty writing, in this or in the previous chapter, still working on making my English better, and it sucks, even more at this hour.

Still not sure if this was actually any good. I'd like to know what you thought about it, even if you hated it, I'd like to hear it.

Thanks for reading.

-Alex-


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